Need extension cable that completely passes through letter box

[OM2]

I'm charging my EV by putting a slim extension through the letter box.

This is a pain. I would really like to put the plug through the letter box - would save me a few minutes time.
Currently I have to disconnect and reconnect + wrap the EV charger (incase of rain).

Can I get a collapsible plug??
I haven't found such a plug you can buy to replace an existing plug.

I looked at letterbox extensions. They exist - but cost a lot!

See below for a pic of one. It seems really impractical - other side of the letter box, you have the big thing that needs to hang.

Thanks.

 

[Murdochcat]

TBH you need a proper car charger installed outside.

Granny chargers are not intended for daily use

 

[OM2]

TBH you need a proper car charger installed outside.

Granny chargers are not intended for daily use

Sorry... I should have mentioned that.
New EV charger is going to be installed. After tons of research, I know what I want.
But the company has said 'DNO cut out fuse we would have to submit an application to the DNO to get approval to install the charger.'.
They said at best this could take a few weeks and at worst could take months.

 

[securespark]

You need a 100A supply. At least, that's what Octopus required.

 

[OM2]

You need a 100A supply. At least, that's what Octopus required.

Yes. I'll get installed in due course.
For the moment, I'm stuck. I need to be able to charge from ordinary socket.
If I can figure out how I can pass through the entire socket through the letter box, that would make my life easier.

 

[JohnD]

Drill a hole through the wall.

 

[RandomGrinch]

Catflap?

 

[JohnD]

20mm should be enough.

 

[flameport]

But the company has said 'DNO cut out fuse we would have to submit an application to the DNO to get approval to install the charger.'.

Not exactly true.
They all need to be notified to the DNO and some may need DNO approval depending on existing loads and supply capacity.

However it can be installed and set to a lower power such as 3.5kW rather than 7kW until approval / fuse upgrade or whatever else is done.

Granny leads should not be used with extensions, as they have a temperature monitor in the plug which will disconnect if the plug overheats. Using an extension lead bypasses that safety feature, because it could then be the extension lead plug overheating which could cause a fire inside your home.

 

[JohnD]

How about an RCD protected weatherproof socket on the outside of your house wall?

 

[jj4091]

Could you use something like this as a temp measure. https://www.screwfix.com/p/masterpl...Vg853Ch3pEQOyEAQYBCABEgKvu_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds put it through the letter box from the inside with a lead long enough to place the plug & socket in the car boot while charging.

 

[Adam_151]

New EV charger is going to be installed. After tons of research, I know what I want.

Out of interest, which EVSE is it you want? In addition to what @flameport has said about setting them to a reduced charge current, a lot of them also have a CT to go on the tails and many of them have a free input of what the maximum demand is to be limited to, and quite frankly if charging on one of the off peak tarriffs and you don't have electric heating then even setting that limit to 40A is not likely to be too detrimental to charging.

 

[StephenStephen]

Toughleads:

Add to your lead - Small diameter connector suitable for letter boxes

UK 13A plugs will not fit through a domestic letterbox (the plugs on our leads are 45mm at their widest part). This robust, compact and weatherproof connector will however pass easily though any letter box or other restricted space. Simply press the metal button back and twist the connector to...

toughleads.co.uk

As an add on to this: https://toughleads.co.uk/products/ev-extension-lead?_pos=3&_sid=d57be5ae6&_ss=r

 

[robinbanks]

How about an RCD protected weatherproof socket on the outside of your house wall?

Mighty handy for e.g, vacuuming or jetwashing the car in future too

 

[ericmark]

I use the cat flap at rear of house, to connect the battery charger for my ICE car, it is class II and only charges at 5 amp, at 12 volt, it is handy to allow charging over an extended time when it might rain.

To use a granny charger on the odd time when you are away from home is fine, but in the main the car would need to be parked in a garage so all around the car is bonded to the electric supply, it your lucky enough to have a TN-S or TT supply then OK safe enough, but most of us have a TN-C-S supply (PME) which needs loss of PEN detection when used to supply some thing outside of the equipotential bonded area.

More reading here and here there has been of late questions raised in the house, but the HSE to date have refused to act this does not mean it is safe, the increased load on our old network seems to have resulted in more and more cases of loss of PEN.

There are plug in charging leads designed for use in garages with 32 amp plugs able to use supplies intended for welding sets and the like for charging an EV. These can be set to 7 charging speeds: 6A, 8A, 10A, 13A, 16A, 20A, 32A, so could be used even when 32 amp not available. And they do have

Built-in Type B RCD protection: Type A + 6mA DC

however what they do not have is a CT coil to see what the rest of the house is using and automated to ensure the total load does not exceed the supply to the house.

One has to do things in order this does not really work, one needs the charger before you get the car not after the event. I know it is tempting I have an outdoor socket myself and it would be tempting to simply plug in a visitors EV, and if we cordoned off the car so no one or animal can touch it while on charge then suppose safe enough, and we could simply take a chance that we will not loose PEN when charging. As a one off, OK, but not on a regular basis.